6 Reasons to Consider Assisted Living

Moving yourself or a loved one into an assisted living facility can be a tough decision. For those involved, it might not seem like there are enough reasons for assisted living support. However, there are many short-term and long-term benefits associated with moving into an assisted living community. 

Reasons to consider assisted living include:

• Difficulty with Activities of Daily Living 
• Medication Management Challenges
• The Need for a Social Life
• The Rise of Health Complications
• Safety Concerns
• Needing Assistance 

Let’s take a closer look at the reasons for choosing assisted living. 

Reasons to Consider Assisted Living

1. Difficulty with Activities of Daily Living 

As we age, doing simple daily tasks that are mandatory throughout the day can become a challenge for many seniors and older adults. These activities of daily living include personal care tasks like getting dressed, showering/bathing, going to the bathroom, eating, and more. Caregivers at assisted living facilities are trained to help their residents with these tasks, which can make them less stressful for the seniors. The staff can also help with other maintenance tasks like doing laundry, washing, and putting on bedsheets.

2. Medication Management Challenges 

Let’s be honest; the memory can become a bit tired at times, especially in the later stages. For many seniors, remembering to take medication on time can become a significant challenge as they age. This can lead to serious health risks depending on the medication, which can affect their overall well-being. 

Family members often worry about this aspect of their loved one’s health, but they might not always be available to assist. This is where assisted living becomes invaluable. Many assisted living communities offer medication assistance as part of their medical care services. 

This offers seniors the ability to live independently, yet helps ensure they receive their prescribed doses at the correct times, under the supervision of trained professionals. 

3. The Need for a Social Life

Assisted living communities provide daily, weekly, and monthly activities for their residents. A lot of times, these are activities that they’ve never tried before in their free time. This allows the residents to branch out and try something new that they might enjoy. This could be anything from trying fitness classes, joining book clubs, learning new skills, movie nights, or attending other social events.

Aside from that, assisted living facilities also offer residents the opportunity to be around many other people. They can eat three meals a day together, do the previously mentioned activities together, and be with people who share common interests. Seniors do not have this luxury if they are living at home, which in a lot of cases, means living in isolation.

We often underestimate the benefits of assisted living and the socialization it offers. Socialization can increase mental well-being, increase mental stimulation, and improve overall health because we generally feel better and are more motivated when we are around other people that care for us.

4. The Rise of Health Complications 

Seniors and older adults with specific health challenges need continual supervision that family members cannot meet. As long as the needs do not require extensive healthcare services that a nursing home would traditionally address, assisted living could be the right choice. 

Assisted living communities provide assistance with daily activities and address the regular healthcare needs of residents, including daily monitoring to manage chronic conditions. Most assisted living communities are well-equipped for medication management to help with timely and accurate medication delivery.

5. Safety Concerns

Aging means that our bodies become weaker and more susceptive to accidents. Home ownership means having to keep up with home maintenance and other tasks that can put seniors at risk of falling. Rather than maintaining a home, turn to assisted living. Assisted living communities provide housekeeping services so seniors don’t have to worry too much about those tasks. 

Additionally, senior living communities often have security cameras and 24/7 staff members who can attend should falls occur. The last thing someone wants is to fall when no one is there to help.

6. Needing Assistance 

Taking care of Mom, Dad, or your spouse can eventually become a burden, especially when it’s the case involving taking care of a spouse. For seniors, it can be difficult for them to take care of themselves and even more difficult for them to take care of someone else on top of that. Placing your loved one in an assisted-living facility lets them be in the hands of certified professionals who take care of others because they have a passion for caring. This allows your loved one to be surrounded by those people and to get the proper care every single day.

Getting help with all of these leads to a less stressful day and an overall healthier life. These are just a few of the reasons why moving a loved one into an assisted living facility can be the right choice. Going through this decision can be stressful for a family, but if you take a step back and think about the positives, you can see that there’s plenty of reasons why it’s the right choice.